The Revitalization of Death Cab for Cutie @ Leader Bank Pavilion

Graphic by Cate Banks

By Cate Banks

I cannot think of a better way to start off October other than attending the chilly Death Cab for Cutie concert at Leader Bank Pavilion. The air was crisp and so was their set; rocking out an incredible beginning to the new month. Frontman and lead vocalist and guitarist, Benjamin Gibbard (he/him) showed up and blasted the beloved alt. tunes alongside his band members: bassist Nick Harmer (he/him), guitarist and keyboardist Dave Depper (he/him), guitarist and keyboardist Zac Rae (he/him), and drummer Jason McGerr (he/him). In their typical Seattle grunge attire of aggressive side parts and black and white striped tees, the band fit right in at this outdoor amphitheater on the Boston Harbor. 

With an almost packed house of around 2,000 angsty fans, the band opened their set with lead single, “Roman Candles,” off their newest record, Asphalt Meadows. The album comes three years after the release of The Blue - Ep; again, giving birth to yet another new and original Death Cab sound. Death Cab for Cutie is known for their melancholy sound and introspective lyrics included in their 13 plus albums and EPs. While other bands prioritize quantity over quality, Death Cab has harnessed the ability to achieve both rather successfully. Their music is impactful, enabling everyone who listens to get something out of it. Tracks on their albums are universal and poignant, gripping all of their listeners' emotions and squeezing out every last drop of pain they have like a towel being wrung out. Call it therapy. Truly, they are a transformative band that can legitimately bask in the title of “alternative geniuses.” 

One of the largest takeaways from the concert was the incredible energy Death Cab harnessed; audience reactions were overwhelmingly positive as they brought a new life to their music. The expected depressing atmosphere was counteracted with the live versions of some of their most iconic songs, offering us all an instant boost of serotonin. They got on stage and saved all our lives as they regenerated their classic tunes with a stunning acoustic quality. The drums were powerful, bass was strong, guitars tugged on our heart strings too, and Gibbard's voice never fails to reach to just the right places. It was like listening to the exact studio recordings with a thousand times more vigor and power.

Speaking of power, they began with three of their strongest pieces: “I Don’t Know How I Survive,” “Roman Candles,” and “The New Year.” The energy that was thrown out in these first couple of dynamic songs was carried throughout the show, all the way to the provoking end with “Foxglove Through the Clearcut.” The audience was able to remain enthusiastic from start to finish as some of their most iconic tunes were played, including “A Movie Script Ending,” “Black Sun,” “Northern Lights,” “Crooked Teeth,” “You are a Tourist,” and encore favorite, “405.” The wind got colder as the night went on, but the music kept us warm like a soft scarf wrapping us up in a consoling embrace.

The audience giggled all throughout Gibbard’s Boston reminiscing and banter as he gave personalization to this performance, describing the band’s first moments in Boston at The Middle East in Cambridge back in 1999.  This audience engagement was in between some our favorite songs such as a new hit off of their most recent album, “Here to Forever,” some sensitive bops such as “I Miss Strangers,” “Rand McNally,” “Your Heart is an Empty Room,” and the almost ten minute riff of “I Will Possess Your Heart.” 

As a life-long passenger of the Death Cab, I was enthralled the entire night. I thought the band executed the songs perfectly, and to my surprise, with an encapsulating energy that was unmatched to any other alternative concert I have attended. The colorful and warm ambient lighting was beautiful and added greatly to the set, helping to create a powerful performance that was difficult to look away from. The crowd favorite was most definitely “I Will Follow You Into The Dark,” as we all sang along to the lullaby melodies of, what Gibbard introduced it as, “the tune of catholic guilt - a feeling that is well known in Boston.” Other top picks include the engrossing title track “Asphalt Meadows,” the biting “Soul Meets Body,” encore songs “Pepper,” “I’ll Never Give Up on You,” and compelling concert ender, “Bixby Canyon Bridge.”

 On top of the flawless performance, enticing energy, beautiful fall weather, and loving fans, the concert gave us a comfort that was needed in these first cold nights in Boston. People got out their beanies, warmed each other's hands, swayed to the soft tunes, and enjoyed this night of bliss together. From start to finish, I peered around the venue and saw not one person frowning as the sense of community that Death Cab is able to foster truly is a passionate group of music lovers. Real enthusiasts of the audible art that life gives us. 

The Death Cab for Cutie concert truly was an experience that could not be replicated. Seeing my personal favorite tracks “Cath…” and “The Ghosts of Beverly Drive” not only be performed in such an unembellished fashion but also as if they were writing it on the stage at that moment, was one of those fortuitous moments in my life that reassured me like no other. The band members are, as they explained in the show, “musical surgeons” who not only know how to make all of the right moves but really do know how to bring live music to its greatest potential. No demise could be found near the venue that night as Death Cab for Cutie was able to restart everyone's hearts, revitalize their tunes, and bring back to life our love of their unique and pensive sound.